My Apple Dilema

In about half a year, I need to buy a new laptop for college. I have two computers, a Vista PC and a MacBook. I take the MacBook to school every day and run it in OS X but need VMWare Fusion open at all times for Microsoft Office OneNote, the greatest application for note taking ever. I tried Word 2004's notebook view and it pales in comparison.

Anyway, my dilema is that in using both OS X and Windows, I find that though OS X looks better (though the constant gray theme in Leopard is kind of depressing sometimes...) I am so much more efficient, and proficient, in Windows. I also like gaming, a lot, and love being able to click on a game instead of having to reboot into Boot Camp.

I don't want to be locked out of the OS X scene because it is really good and a lot of the programs I like are better in OS X - Adium and iTunes come to mind - yet I can't ditch Windows, ever, due to both software necessities and gaming.

The other issue is that if I don't get a MacBook Pro, I'm getting an Alienware m15x or whatever new product they release in the coming months. The new Alienware m17 can be customized to the same specs as a top of the line MacBook Pro, along with Dual video cards for gaming, for $3200. And since the laptop would be made for Windows, the trackpad and keyboard layout is designed for the OS. Though I don't really care about the latter, my MacBook's inability to tap-to-click or right click properly is really annoying.

So what do you guys think I should do? Mac or PC laptop? I know this is an Apple forum, but you guys have the judgement I'm lacking in deciding this.

Oh, and another thing - 3 way iChatting is incredibly popular among my friends, and when I'm in college that would probably happen, at least in the beginning.

you can tap to click and right click on a macbook...change it under system prefs-> keyboard and mouse

it sounds like you are pretty set on getting a windows laptop and aren't taking full advantage of OS X...an alienware pc i'm sure has a webcam built in especially for the 3200 price tag and simply keeping a mac for a couple programs like iTunes and Adium seems a little ridiculous

Well the problem is that I would love to take full advantage of OS X. I know it has potential and is a great OS, but as I use OneNote every day, and will use it every day, I'll still need Windows installed.

Microsoft should make OneNote for OS X. They could charge $200 or whatever for it and I'd still buy it. And Valve should make Steam for OS X, and then I would never need Windows again.

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Well for one thing you can do 2 button mouse commands use the apple track pad. Go to system preferences>keyboard & mouse and click on the trackpad tab.

Near the bottom you should see all the options for "Trackpad Gestures" From there check the box labeled "tap trackpad using two fingers for secondary click" now when you tap the trackpad with two fingers it will act as a right click.
There are several other sweet options from there to check out.

As for which laptop to get I would recommend the new MacBook Pro. With the two graphics cards inside you could run fusion at crushing inferno speeds and do your gaming.

are you trying to combine both the uses of a desktop and laptop into your next purchase?

I like to keep my gaming on my desktops and keep my laptops for professional/work use. Aside from the fact that you can build a behemoth of a gaming desktop for a fraction of the cost of a gaming laptop, a high end gaming desktop is much more powerful than a high end gaming laptop.

If you go the above scenario - take your $3200, build a desktop gaming rig and spend the rest on a new macbook.

If you're dead set on getting a gaming laptop but don't want to give up OS X, you can always just sell you desktop, get an iMac or just run a hackintosh system on your laptop.

And BTW, $3200 is absurdly expensive. Alienware just might be more overpriced than Apple.

Well it will be for college, and I'm not really too keen on having a desktop PC anyway, considering the bulk and noise and I'd rather have a great laptop than two computers.

I realized my problem might be that if I get a Mac, I'll constantly feel the need to use both OSes. If I use Windows, I'd feel bad for not using OS X, and if I use OS X, I'd need to fire up Windows anyway. Kind of an Obsessive-Compulsive issue, but an issue nonetheless.

And yeah, Alienware and all the gaming computers are ridiculously overpriced but are built incredibly well, and with parts that you can't find in any other notebooks, so they can charge as much as they want. Falcon Northwest has computers breaking $9,000.

It sounds like you are more productive using Windows. I do not see a reason for you to buy an Apple laptop. Most PC brands (save maybe for Alienvare) are less expensive for the same functionality than Apple laptops, and you could get a very decent, say, Lenovo machine and be pretty happy with it.

Also, if you are using Office applications extensively, OS X is clearly not the best way to go, since Mac versions of Office are crippled and waaaay slower than office for Windows.

In about half a year, I need to buy a new laptop for college. I have two computers, a Vista PC and a MacBook. I take the MacBook to school every day and run it in OS X but need VMWare Fusion open at all times for Microsoft Office OneNote, the greatest application for note taking ever. I tried Word 2004's notebook view and it pales in comparison.

Anyway, my dilema is that in using both OS X and Windows, I find that though OS X looks better (though the constant gray theme in Leopard is kind of depressing sometimes...) I am so much more efficient, and proficient, in Windows. I also like gaming, a lot, and love being able to click on a game instead of having to reboot into Boot Camp.

I don't want to be locked out of the OS X scene because it is really good and a lot of the programs I like are better in OS X - Adium and iTunes come to mind - yet I can't ditch Windows, ever, due to both software necessities and gaming.

The other issue is that if I don't get a MacBook Pro, I'm getting an Alienware m15x or whatever new product they release in the coming months. The new Alienware m17 can be customized to the same specs as a top of the line MacBook Pro, along with Dual video cards for gaming, for $3200. And since the laptop would be made for Windows, the trackpad and keyboard layout is designed for the OS. Though I don't really care about the latter, my MacBook's inability to tap-to-click or right click properly is really annoying.

So what do you guys think I should do? Mac or PC laptop? I know this is an Apple forum, but you guys have the judgement I'm lacking in deciding this.

Oh, and another thing - 3 way iChatting is incredibly popular among my friends, and when I'm in college that would probably happen, at least in the beginning.

Click to expand...

You are more productive in Windows. You have no serious troubles with it. You've used OS X for a while and you don't feel its better for you.

You are more productive in Windows. You have no serious troubles with it. You've used OS X for a while and you don't feel its better for you.

Get a PC. No OS is for everyone.

Click to expand...

+1

One of my friends got a MacBook and hated it and felt lost after using Vista for about two years, returned it and bought a new HP. I personally love my Macs, but they aren't for everyone, and 7 is looking very promising.

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